Brake mechanism



June 13, 1939- c. A. sAwTELLE BRAKE MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VENTOR CHARLES A. SAWTELLE BY ,l

FIGA.

ATTORNEYS `lune 13, 1939.

c. A. sAwTl-:LLE

BRAKE MECHANISM Filed June 15, 11936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTOR (CHARLES A. SAWTELLE ATTORNEYS Patented June 13,1939 Y I I 2,161,903

UNiTED STATES PATENT oFF'lcE 2,161,903 BRAKE MECHANISM Charles A. Sawtelle, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application June v`1t, 1936, serial No. 85,395

s claims. (c1. 18a- 73) IThis invention relates generally to brake mech- The foregoing, as Well as other objects, will be anism and refers more particularly to an immade more apparent as this description proceeds, proved shoe brake. especially when considered in connection with One of the principal objects of this invention the accompanying drawings, wherein:

5 is to provide an actuator between the spaced Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a brake 5 ends of the friction means at one side of the constructed in accordance with this invention drum constructed to effect a more uniform enand having certain parts broken away for the gagement of the friction means with the brake sake of clearness; flange of the drum. In accordance with this in- Figure2 is a sectional View taken substantially vention, the above result is accomplished by imon the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fglo parting a lateral force to the aforesaid ends of ure 1; the friction means in such a manner as to effect Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially angular force components in the direction of the onthe plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Figanchor adjustment device located between the ure 1; and

opposite ends of the friction means. Figure 4 is a sectional View taken substantially 15 Another advantageous feature of the present on the plane indicated by the line ltof Figinvention resides in the provision of an anchor ure 1.

adjustment device between the spaced ends afore- Referring now more in detail to the drawings, said of the friction means, and constructed to it will be noted that the reference character IB impart angular force components to the friction indicates a brake drum having a web II and 20 means in the direction of the actuator in dehaving an annular brake flange IZ. extending pendence upon applying a lateral force to the axially from the periphery of the web II. YUpon ends oi the friction means by the adjustment reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the means. This feature is advantageous in that it drum is closed by a backing plate I3 fixed-against renders it possible to secure a uniform adjustrotation relative to the drum II] and forming a 25 ment of the entire braking surface area of the support for the brake shoe disposed within the friction means with respect to the adjacent sur'- drum. face of the brake flange. In the illustrative embodiment of the inven- Another object of the present invention contion, the brake is shown as comprising two brake sists in the provision of a brake embodying inshoes disposed on opposite sides of a plane in- 30 terchangeable shoes having spaced ends for recludingy the axis of rotation of the drum and ceiving therebetween, a suitable actuator and an designated herein by the reference characters I4 adjustment anchor device. and I5. A The brake shoes are preferably of sub- A further feature of the present invention is to stantiallyT-shape cross section having a web or e5 provide a two shoe brake of the above character stem portion I6 located within the plane of ro- 55 wherein the shoes are not only interchangeable tation of the drum and having an axially extendfrom one side of the axis of the brake drum to the ing head portion Il provided with a brake fricother, but are also interchangeable end for end tion material I8 for engaging `the inner annular without interfering with either the adjustment surface of the brake flange I2.

40 anchor device or the brake actuator. The ad- Referring again to Figure 1 of the drawings, 40 vantage of this construction will be readily unit will be noted that the ends of the shoes are derstood when it is considered that the primary spaced from each other to respectively receive shoe wears at a much faster rate than the sectherebetween, an adjustment anchor device I9 ondary shoe and consequently, interchanging and an actuator 20. For the purpose of conventhese two shoes after a reasonable interval of ience in describing the invention, it will be as- 45 service will have the effect of appreciably insumed that the adjustment anchor device I9 is creasing the life of the brake linings. Also; in located between the upper ends of the shoes and many brakes of the shoe type, the ends of the that the actuator 20 is positioned between the shoes at one side of the drum wear to a greater lower ends of the shoes. The adjustment anchor extent than the other ends and this wear may, device comprises an axially movable cylindrical in effect, be compensated for by interchanging member 2l supported within a tubular portion 22 the shoes end for end. In addition, the foregoing of the backing plate I3 and having notches 23 construction is advantageous in that it materially upon the outer end thereof for engagement with simplifies assembly and offers the possibility of corresponding projections 24 on the inner end 5;, appreciably reducing inventory. of the adjusting screw 25. The adjusting screw 55 25 is threadediymounted in a tubular member 26 having an enlarged portion 28 at the inner end thereof arranged in axial alignment with the tubular portion 22 on the backing `plate andV permanently secured to the latter portion. As willV beV observed from Figure 2, the opposite sides of the cylindrical member 2| are provided with grooves 29 diverging from .the outer ends thereof toward the axis of the cylindrical member 2|. The dimension of the grooves 29 is such as to receive the inner ends of a pair of flat adjust'- Y Vment links outwardly and thereby diminishes the clearance betwen the friction lining I8 in the shoes and the brake flange I2. Accidental rotation of the screw 25 is prevented and predetermined increments of adjustment are indicated by the cooperating notches 23 and projections 24 previously described as respectively formed on the member 2| and screw 25.

Upon reference to Figure 5, it will be noted that the adjustment links are flat in the plane of rotation of the drum andare guided throughout movement thereof between the backing plate I3 and a plate 32 secured to the backing plate in the manner shown in Figure 2. The outer ends Y of both the adjustment links and the adjacent ends of the web portions I6 of the brake shoes are maintained in alignment by means of pins 33 having heads 34 at opposite ends spacedfrom each other a sucient distance to receive therebetween, the outer end' portions of the adjust- Vment links and the adjacent end portions of the webs I 6 of the brake shoes. Attention is called to the fact that the outer ends ofthe adjustment links and adjacent portions of the webs of theV brakeY shoes are formed with concave recesses 35 for fitting the stem of the'pin between the head portions thereof. However, theouter ends of the Y adjustment links and the adjacent end portions of the brake shoes are spaced from each other to provide for relativeV angular movement of the ends of the shoes with respect to the links.

Uponreference to Figure 1, it will be noted thatthe adjustment links are inclined downwardy from the upper ends thereof with the result that the lateral'force applied to the upper ends of the shoes by axial inward adjustment of the member 2| effects the application Vof angularrforce components to the shoes in the direction of the actuator 2,8. The angular force components effect a more uniform adjustment of the brakeY shoes with respect to the annular brake flange and thereby contributes materially to increasing the braking efficiency. Y

.The actuator 20 is shown herein as comprising a radially movable wedge 36 supported for sliding movement between the backing plate I3 and a guide plate 3'I secured to the backing plateY in spaced relation theretor by means of the rivets 38. As shown in Figure 4, the center rivet 39 extends Ythrough. anV opening'40 in the wedge. The opening 40 is elongated in the direction of sliding movement of the wedge and increases. in width toward the inner end thereof so as to permit lateral shifting movement of the-shoes when theV wedge is moved outwardly to expand the shoes into engagement with the brake flange. Move'- ment is transferred from the wedge to the lower ends of the shoes by means of the actuating links 4| slotted Vas at 42 to receive the end rivets 38 and having vthe extreme inner ends fashioned to cooperate with rollers 43 upon outward movement of the wedge 36 to effect a corresponding movement of the links 4|. The outer ends of the links 4I andthe adjacent ends ofthe webs of the brake shoes are maintained in alignment by means of headed pins 44 identical to the pins 33 in that they are provided with heads 45 at opposite ends thereof spaced from each other a sufcient distance to receive therebetween, the adjacent ends of the actuator links and brake shoes. The lower Aends of the brake shoes are identical to the upper ends thereof in that they are provided with concave recesses 46 adapted to fit the stems II'Iv of the pins 44 in the same manner as the upper ends of the shoes engage the stems 35 of the pins 33. The outer ends of the actuator links are similarly formed and are spaced from the ends of the shoes so as to permit a limited degree of angular displacement of the ends of the shoes with respect to the actuator links. this connection, attention may be called tothe fact that the two shoes are retracted from the brake flange and are maintained into frictional engagement with the pins 33: and 44 by means of two symmetrically arranged springs 48 and 49. The spring 48 is associated with the upper ends of the shoes while the spring 49 is connected to the lower ends of the shoes. Y

Referring again to Figure 1 of the drawings, yattention is called to the fact that the links 4| are inclined upwardly from the lower ends there- D of with the result that the force applied to the lower ends of the shoes through the links by the actuating wedge 36 produces angular force components in the direction of the anchor adjustment device I9. The application of angular force components in the aforesaid direction is desirableV i in that it provides for more uniformly engaging the friction surfaces of the shoes throughout the areas thereof with the adjacent surface of the annularbrake flange and insures maximum breaking efficiency. In this connection, attention is further called to the fact that provision Ais'made for shifting movement of the adjustment linksV It will also be noted from the foregoing, thatV both shoes are identical in 'construction and are not only capable of being interchanged with each other from one side, of the drum to the other, but are also interchangeable end for end. In other words, the primary shoe I5 of the brake shown herein may beV interchanged with the sec-V ondary shoe I4 by merely rotating the shoes 180.?V

from the position thereof shown and this is desirable not only because it simplifies assembly and reduces inventory,'but also because it has'the comeffect of appreciably increasing the life of the brake linings I8. In this connection, it is well known that the primaryV shoe wears at a consid- Yerably` faster rate than the secondary shoe and consequently, interchanging these two shoes after a reasonable interval of servicev appreciably increases the usefulness of the linings. It will, of course, be understood that interchanging the primary shoe with the secondary shoe by, in effect, rotating the same throughoutl approximately 180 from the positions thereof shown in Figure 1, also provides for interchanging the ends of the shoes and this is desirable in that the ends at one side of the shoes usually Wear to a greater extent than the opposite ends.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a brake mechanism, a brake drum having a brake flange, brake friction means within the drum engageable with the iiange including shoes having the adjacent ends spaced from each other circumferentially of the drum substantially equal distances, an adjustment anchor device for the shoes located between the ends at one side of the drum and connected tol the latter ends of the shoes, and an actuator supported between the opposite ends of the shoes and connected to the latter ends for moving the shoes into engagement with the brake flange, the ends of the shoes connected to the actuator being identical in construction to the ends of the shoes connected to the adjustment anchor device to permit interchanging the shoes end for end.

2. In a brake mechanism, a brake drum having a brake flange, friction means within the drum engageable with the flange including shoes interchangeable With each other from one side of the axis of the drum to the other and having the opposite adjacent ends spaced from each other circumferentially of the drum substantially equal distances, an anchor device located between the ends of the shoes at one side of the drum and connected to the latter ends, an actuator supported between the opposite ends of the shoes and engageable With the latter ends for moving the shoes into frictional engagement with the brake flange, the ends of the shoes connected to the actuator being identical in construction to the ends of the shoes connected to the anchor device permitting said shoes to be interchanged end for end.

3. In a brake mechanism, a brake drum, brake friction means engageable with the drum and including shoes having the adjacent ends spaced from each other circumferentially of the drum substantially equal distances, an adjustment device for the shoes located between the ends of the shoes at one side of the drum and operatively connected to the latter ends of the shoes, and an actuator supported between the opposite ends of the shoes and operatively connected to the latter ends for moving the shoes into engagement with the brake drum, the ends of the shoes operatively connected to the actuator being identical in construction to the ends of the shoes operatively connected to the adjustment device to permit interchanging the shoes end for end.

CHARLES A. SAWTELLE. 

